WIND & SUN TOGETHER

North County Energy Project Proposed
Howard Fine, August 10, 2010 (Los Angeles Business Journal)

"An application for a major renewable energy project in the West Antelope Valley was filed [for Los Angeles County]…

"In its application, Element Power US LLC has proposed a combination wind and solar energy project that could generate up to 230 megawatts, or power for up to 70,000 single-family homes."

click to enlarge

"The project would be located on a 2,200-acre parcel Element Power recently purchased from the operators of a horse ranch about 20 miles west of Lancaster and just west of the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve.

"Element Power’s Wildflower Green Energy Farm is one of an increasing number of renewable power projects in the sun-drenched and windswept western Mojave Desert.
California’s utilities face a strict renewable power mandate that by 2020 they get one-third of their energy from renewable sources…"

The Antelope Valley looking across the Mojave Desert toward the Tehachapi Mountains. (click to enlarge)

"Element Power project manager Nat Parker said the exact mix of wind power and solar photovoltaic cells would be determined after county and local community input and that environmental reviews of the project had yet to be completed. He also said the site is about six miles from an existing electrical substation that could put the generated power on the grid.

"Parker said that the project would bring an additional 300 construction jobs to the Antelope Valley. He added the project could come on line in late 2012 or early 2013."